Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1887-04-30
CHAPTER <.
H ADVERTISEMENT.

IA Su0 WuOl0 VI LUX MuFTlUy0 . AutuI0
life, whether that be long or short, ono day
will stand out in his memory a. the most un.
lu Ky Every man who has been weak and
wicked thinks that the day when he was
found out is the most unlucky day in his life.
Or course he should consider that the day
when he first left the path of virtue was
really that day; tut to arrive at that conclu-
sion implies a return to that thorny path
with what used to be called hear, md soul,
viii b is. l believe. rare. The wicked man
not infrequently turns away from his wick
edne>s, so MANY forces acting upon him in
the direction of Righteousness; but it is sell
dom indeed that he regards the lodges,
tricks, cheats and receptions Of the past
with aught but comnlacencv. There was
nothing at first. to rouse special apprehen-
sions His father was gloomy at breakfast;
10 had lost his clerk as we'll as his sixty
rounds, and the clerk was by far the
more serious loss; aso he could not I'M
derstand, in spite Of his own maxims.
how tho girl could pos ,iblv nav dom it
and what she meant y avow,ng tho worst
piece Of evidence against her, and then bid
ding him take up tho case himself. But to
Ills son he said nothing to alarm him. Dick
accented his father 8 silence as a proof that
nothing more was going to DO lone. Norah
would 9 forgiven, he fondlv thought As
If Mr.. Murridge wa the kind of man to sit
down satisfied with so str .nge a thing as
this unexplained! Dick like manv crafty
persons. was a great fool. In fact, the
whole history Of crime shows a remarkable
development Of the imaginative faculty go
ing parallel with great craftiness, which
prevents its poss 'ssors from seeing things In
their rlgh proportions 30 tina they fire.
-..-ks - >o.,-lA -. Al.f. ..u. 100 Al
as If Norah was the kind Of a girl to accept
forgivenessi
He spent the morning, for the third time,
with the count. who was showing him most
surprising things with the cards, things
which, he clearly perceived. might. in the
hands of ono who could do them dexter
ously, lead to surprising resu is.
"There was q time, sad the count. 'when
l could do these things, before ! lost my
finger. Do you think l lived in a place like
his, tho companion Of such mon as como
ore every night Now l can show you how
We do them. Anybody may earn how they
re done. But there are few, indeed. who
IN do them go as never to be suspected or
ught. l ave watched you, friend Rich
4, and l n that you can learn. | will
rake you, If you please, and Ii.Lle by little,
master Of the great art.
The great art, Of course. was tho practical
pplication Of scientific legerdemain to card
,laying and gambling. In its simpler forms
means turning the king, forcing q suit,
making the bridge. pa!ming a card. giving
your adversary the worst hands and your
self the best. When q young man has
earned these things, md can do them with
a turn Of the wrist and without q movement
| Of tho eye, b" has inde-d advanced far. and
may be trusted to earn a very decent and
comfortable maintenance. But there are
higher flights, aid although there are many
Greeks about the gaming tables, there never
was one who brought to the profession q
keener intel ect, a more copious resource, a
greater wealth Of trickery in It's highest and
most occu t branches than the signor Gu
seppe Piranesi.
"And when I lave learned oil this. what
am I 10 dor
Long before that time comes, you will be
/ glad Of the protection which I can give you.
Ask mo when the trouble comes"
What do you mean ny the troubled You
are always talking about be trouble" Dick
threw the cards upon the table. 81 tell you
there is no trouble coming"
"And l tell you. young gentlemen, there
Is a very great trouble coming upon you, and
thai very soon l nave seen it coming day
after day. and at last 1t has come. 1 te-
lieve, Richard, that 1t has come upon you
t'is very day; I believe you will not go
homo to your father. this evening""
Dick tried not to tremble, but he succeeded
Ill. He tried to laugh, and there came a dis
NAL crckle. He picked up the cards, but his
hand shook Was he man a prophets
~ have had a dream, ny SON. said the
count. softly. II dreamed that ags and
youth, experience and inexperience, might
help each o,her."
What has that got to do With mo and
and the troubleT'
'Wait-wait. and listen. Ny dream was
Of ar cd man and a young man. They
Travelled together. and were partners,
though no one knew it. They worked to
gether. T e old man knew where to go. and
the young man how to work. He had ben
taught ny the old man. They went where.
ever the money is-there is only a dozen
places in the world worth going to-whsre,
that is, there are rich young fellows who are
fools enough 10 think they can win at the
game ia le. Do you begin to understand
this dreami"
But what has it got to do with the
trouolef'
1.-THE trouble may b the means Of making
this dream a reality. 1t is a Leautiful
dream. There is in it tho life Of luxury. and
Of ease, and Of love- Dick heard Of the
love and luxury without much emotion.
The former moved him but little, the latter
not at all And a lite Of getting money in
tt-money, my young friend"
Dicks cold eyes lit up
ut will only b necessary for you to fol.
lew nv ;nstsuctions and 70 10 nv puniL
4ou must obey ms, and you shall b my
partner: I will introduce you, and / will
play square, like the fools at the table, be-
cause the cursed loss Of my finger prevents
me from playing any other way. But you